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Meditation Techniques

It is not difficult to meditate. But it is difficult is to find time to meditate. There are easy ways to meditate and there are elaborate ways to meditate. There are numerous books out there where you can learn different techniques. Today’s column is just an introduction.

Meditation should be effortless. It requires concentration to a visual image, a repeated word or a body sensation such as breathing.

One easy method I have found useful is called walking meditation. I learnt about this at a medical conference. You have to walk clockwise around a room while holding your one hand closed in a fist, while the other hand grasps or covers the fist. You take each step after a full breath.

You can do this during a lunch hour at work or at home when you find 10 minutes or more. Do not worry if your co-workers think you are crazy walking in a circle in your boss’s office. They have probably seen too many movies where they see people walking in circles in mental institutions. We do not believe in stereotyping and profiling.

Walking meditation is a form of meditation in action. The difference between walking meditation and sitting meditation is that our eyes are open, we do not withdraw our attention from the outside world, it is easier to meditate and fit into our schedule and perhaps we are more easily aware of our bodies when we are walking than sitting. The relaxation experienced while walking is more intense than sitting.

Some researchers have come up with an idea of combining relaxation and exercise into one activity. Such as aerobic exercise. It was found that compared with a control group, volunteers who focused their thoughts on a word or phrase while riding a stationary bike had an 11 per cent lower metabolic rate. An anxious, type A individual may do better with this technique because it gives an active mind something to focus on.

Drs. Martin and Marion Jerry’s book (Sutras of the Inner Teacher – The Yoga of the Centre of Consciousness, 2M Communications, Canmore, Canada) discusses in great detail the role and technique of yoga and meditation in the Himalayan Tradition. A serious student of yoga and meditation should read this well researched book.

Other techniques include Zen technique that requires sitting for hours in a position which can be painful and tiring. According to Dictionary.com, Zen is a Mahayana movement, introduced into China in the 6th century a.d. and into Japan in the 12th century, that emphasizes enlightenment for the student by the most direct possible means, accepting formal studies and observances only when they form part of such means. Enlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation, and intuition rather than through faith and devotion.

The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique is a form of mantra meditation introduced in India in 1955 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917–2008). His famous disciples were Beatles. Meditation involves the use of a sound or mantra and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice a day, while sitting comfortably with closed eyes.

There are many more techniques. If you are a busy person, and most people are, just find a quiet room, close your eyes, pick a word and say it again and again. You can use a rosary to help you concentrate. Or say the word when you breathe in or out. Snoring does not count. But I consider snoring as a kind of meditation after a hard day’s work. And my wife agrees with that as long as she does not have to hear the noise.

So, find a technique which works for you in your busy schedule, name it after somebody you like and enjoy the peace and tranquility. Next week, we look at the medical benefits of meditation.

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Regular Meditation Essential for Good Health

Is there a place on this earth where you can find peace and tranquility? If you are keeping abreast of the current events then you would think the end is near. That there is no escape from this unfair and cruel world. There are disasters caused by men and there are disasters caused by nature. So, who is on your side?

Well, it has to be you, your family and your friends. But there is one more place where you can find solace. Let me explain.

I have been interested in meditation since I was a little boy. I was born in a very religious family and daily early morning meditation was encouraged. Not that I always ended up meditating but the importance of meditation in once life was ingrained in me.

Recently, I have been thinking of going to the Himalayas and spend few weeks as a monk and meditate. I will not have to shave my head as I do that every day. I will have to get a saffron coloured rob and a pair of sandals. After a week of meditation, I should find peace and tranquility, walk on water, play a piano, ski on black diamond mountains…and the list goes on.

Then I read the following story on the Internet from one TG from London:

One day a young student at the Buddhist monastery goes to meditate with two monks as part of his education. They go to the opposite side of the lake from the monastery and are about to start their morning meditation when the first monk says, “Oh no, I forgot my mat”. So he walks up to the lake and walks calmly across the surface of the water to the monastery and returns with his mat.

Suddenly, the second monk says, “Oh no, I’ve forgotten my sun hat”. So he runs across the surface of the water to the monastery and returns with a straw hat.

The student is astounded by this and at the end of the meditation he tries to walk across the water. He falls straight in and emerges soaking wet. The two monks look on and after watching his failed attempts for a while the first monk says to the second, “Do you think we should tell him where the stones are!”

If you meditate regularly then you may not be able to walk on water but you will walk through your daily anxieties in a more philosophical and tranquil way. Health is a state of balance between the mind, body, and consciousness. There are many ways to achieve this balance and practice of meditation is one way. Meditation is self-guided, passive attention to single object of focus.

As we know, the practice of meditation has occurred worldwide since ancient times. There are numerous techniques of meditation – religious or otherwise. It should be effortless. Meditation helps in the purification of body, mind and soul. Meditation appears to impact more strongly when the anxiety is primarily psychological, such as excessive worrying.

Ideally, meditation should be done in a quiet room so you can concentrate to a visual image, a repeated word or a body sensation such as breathing. But there are many ways to meditate. We will discuss that in the next couple of articles.

Finally, while in London, Buddha purchased a copy of The Big Issue from a street vendor with a £10 note. When Buddha asked for his change, the vendor looked with a smile and said, “Ah, change must come from within…”

Think about that. And ah, what will we do without Internet? Stay tuned.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

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About Moles, Molehills and Melanoma

What is a mole?

Defining a mole is not easy. People use the word very loosely to describe any blemish on the skin as a mole. I looked up the word on dictionary.com and it generated 25 results.

If I was part of a government or business organisation and was looking for a mole then I would be looking for a different kind of a mole compared to when I see a patient with a mole. If you Google the question, “What is a skin mole?” then you get 2,590,000 web references. So let us talk about skin moles.

Skin lesions and blemishes are very common. Most of them are benign and have no malignant potential. Moles are also called nevi (singular: nevus). Some other examples of “moles” are freckles, skin tags, lentigo and seborrheic keratoses. But real moles and sun burns have a potential to become cancerous.

Real moles are skin growths that are usually brown or black. There is a localised collection of pigmented cells called melanocytes. During sun exposure, teenage years and pregnancy, these cells multiply and become darker. They can be anywhere on the skin, alone or in clusters. Most moles appear in early childhood and by the age of 20, one can have anywhere between 10 to 50 or more moles. Some moles may appear later in life.

Some people are born with small to large moles and some of the moles have hair (hairy moles). Some moles will not change at all, while others will slowly disappear over time. As the years pass, moles usually change slowly, becoming raised and lighter in color. Often, hairs develop on the mole.

Most moles are benign. The only moles that are of medical concern are those that look different than other existing moles or those that first appear after age 20. If you notice changes in a mole’s color, height, size or shape, you should have these moles checked. If the moles bleed, ooze, itch, appear scaly or become tender or painful then it is time to have them removed and checked for cancer.

The following ABCDEs are important signs of moles that could be cancerous:

–Asymmetry – one half of the mole does not match the other half.

–Border – the border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred or irregular.

–Colour – the colour of the mole is not the same throughout or has shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white or red.

–Diameter – the diameter of a mole is six millimetres or larger.

–Evolution – are the moles changing over time?

Melanoma is one of the three common skin cancers. The other two are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. For Canadian males, the rate for melanoma has tripled since the late 1960s. For Canadian females, the rates have varied over the years but still show a gradual increase. The incidence of other two skin cancers is also on the rise.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. If diagnosed and removed early then the cure rate can be excellent. Once the cancer advances and spreads to other parts of the body, it is hard to treat and can be deadly. The death rate from melanoma continues to rise about two percent annually.

Does melanoma occur in children? Yes, approximately two per cent of melanomas occur in patients under the age of 20 years and about 0.4 per cent of melanomas occur in pre-pubertal children.

Summer is almost here. We should try and prevent skin cancer by protecting against sun exposure and sun burn. Natural protection (shade) is considered the best protection. And sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) should be adjunct to natural protection. Wear sun protective clothing. Wear wide brim hats. And use eyeglasses that block both UVA and UVB light.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

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Concept of a Perfect Meal

In the last few columns, I have been discussing various aspects of healthy diet. Diet which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes type 2 and other chronic illnesses. This reminded me of an article I wrote in 2004 discussing the concept of polymeal.

My column was based on a study from Netherlands, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ DEC 18, 2004) titled “The Polymeal: a more natural, safer, and probably tastier (than the Polypill) strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 75 percent.” The Polypill was meant to be one pill containing six pharmacological components of commonly used drugs to prevent CVD.

The authors of the article say that pharmacological interventions are not the only option for preventing heart disease. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle can reduce cardiovascular disease. Certainly, they have a point. Many experts feel that the side-effects and cost of Polypill may be prohibitive. Polymeal may be a safer and tastier alternative.

They looked at the scientific literature and felt that the evidence based recipe for polymeal should include wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruits, vegetables, garlic, and almonds. This variety of food has been enjoyed by humankind for centuries.

They calculated that a daily consumption of 150 ml of wine, 114 grams fish four times a week, 100 grams of dark chocolate daily, 400 grams of fruit and vegetables daily, 2.7 grams of fresh garlic daily, and 68 grams of almonds daily could reduce CVD by more than 75 percent.

The authors’ review of literature showed that daily consumption of 150 ml of wine reduces CVD by 32 per cent.

Fish (114 gm) consumed four times a week reduces CVD by 14 per cent.

Dark chocolates (100 mg) reduce blood pressure and thus there is a reduction in CVD by 21 per cent.

A total of 400 gm of fruit and vegetables consumed daily produced a reduction in blood pressure similar to that observed with chocolate so it was assumed that this would produce reduction in CVD by 21 per cent.

The authors also found evidence to suggest beneficial effects of almonds and garlic on CVD. The authors believe that there are no serious side effects to polymeal except adverse odour related to garlic consumption. The beneficial effects of almonds have been discussed in my previous columns.

Studies of walnuts, almonds, pecans, peanuts, macadamias and pistachios show modest changes in blood lipid levels. Similar to other foods rich in unsaturated fat, nuts help maintain HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

Now you have a recipe for polymeal. It may be worth trying. The only thing you have to be careful about is garlic. If you want to make friends and influence people then make sure your garlic consumption is timed well.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!